The Road To Redemption
by The Oracle
Summary: Nuka survives his supposed death, and meets up with someone who changes his life, and his view of the world forever. Rated M for violence and some gruesome imagery.
1. Prologue: The Blade of Knights

The following story is a crossover, using characters from Disney's "Lion King" movies, and characters and concepts from the Japanese series "Garo". I do not own the rights to any of these characters, and I have no intention whatsoever of profiting from this story.

That being said, enjoy!

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It was another cloudy day on the barren lands outside of pride rock. Scavengers crawled and flew from spot to spot, each one looking for another carcass, as a possible future meal stumbled onto the scene.

Nuka breathed heavily as he walked slowly. He had just recently pulled himself up from the spot where he had supposedly died, being there for…what seemed like a really long time, causing him much pain as he stumbled along the rocks and torn earth, looking all around for anyone he knew, searching for his mother, his sister, his brother, but finding nobody.

Slowly the realization came that he had been abandoned, as he groaned and fell to the ground, still breathing heavily. A single tear welled up in his eye as he saw himself as abandoned and forgotten now…and it seemed he would have to spend the last moments of his life with this fact on his mind, as he slowly closed his eyes…

"Hey!…" a voice suddenly called out…one that Nuka didn't recognize, as he kept his eyes closed.

"Hey…wake up!…" The voice got closer, but still, Nuka saw no point in opening his eyes.

That was until he heard another "Wake up!" followed by a slight swat to the back.

Nuka groaned and opened his eyes, turning over to see another male lion looking down at him.

"What are you doing out here?" the lion tilted his head at Nuka. "Where's your pride?…"

Nuka slowly sighed and lay on the ground still. "Pride…I don't have one…not anymore…"

The lion's eyes widened a bit as he just looked at Nuka, his expression slowly softening, almost as if expressing a sense of sympathy for this poor, pathetic looking Lion on the ground in front of him.

The lion then moved and began to nudge Nuka upwards. "Get on your feet…"

Nuka grunted a bit. "Why?…"

The Lion grunted and nudged again. "Because I don't believe in giving up…and as long as you're around me, you're not going to either. Now get up, on your feet…"

Nuka sighed, realizing that resisting was useless, and slowly stepped up onto all four feet.

"Good…" The Lion smiled. "You've taken the first step to being a true survivor…what is your name?"

The weakened lion looked to him. "Nuka…"

The lion nodded. "Good to meet you Nuka. I am called Kiume."

Nuka nodded softly as Kiume looked him over, seeing all manner of scrapes and bruises on his body.

"My word…" Kiume narrowed his eyes. "What on earth did you go through to get to this place?"

Nuka sighed a bit. "I crawled out of this space…I was pinned under a lot of logs that fell on top of me. For a moment I thought I had died under the weight."

Kiume looked at Nuka. "That's quite a feat…being able to find your way out of such a predicament…I doubt I could have survived that…"

Nuka sighed. "So what?…I've got no family…no pride…" He didn't know what happened to his mother or his sister, and frankly, he didn't care at this point.

Kiume nodded. "It's a hard fact to come to grips with…but its no reason to give up living…every day you exist on this earth is a blessing…and it's a miracle you survived a sure death. All you need to do now is find your purpose to exist…your reason for being."

Nuka narrowed his eyes a bit. "Do you have one?…"

Kiume nodded gently. "Oh yes…quite a good one too…I am a protector…"

Nuka looked around him at the barren lands around the two lions. "Not much here to protect, don't you think?…"

Kiume chuckled. "You'd be surprised at what it is I'm protecting…"

"Oh?" Nuka grew more interested. "What is it you're protecting then?…"

"All in good time…" Kiume smiled as he turned and walked off. "Come along now…I have some food gathered up nearby…a lion like you who's just cheated death must have a hell of an appetite, yes?"

Nuka nodded and smiled a bit. He'd forgotten all about his appetite, but he was indeed quite hungry. The dirty and scratched up lion followed the lone traveler, as he slowly walked in front of Kiume, heading in the direction of the gathered food as Kiume simply stood back and observed…

Suddenly, a small, metallic sounding voice emanated from under Kiume's mane, not loud enough for Nuka to hear.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Kiume looked down an object he had around his neck, hidden under his mane…it was a strange silver necklace, with an object in the middle resembling a lion's skull…the skull's jaw moved as it talked to Kiume.

"There's something about him, Zaruba." Kiume walked to another area as Nuka found the food and ate hungrily. "Maybe it's because he reminds me of who I used to be so much."

"I see." Zaruba responded. "So you sympathize with his situation."

"Not only that, but the way he got out of that area with the logs…I mean an entire pile of logs fell on him and nearly crushed him, but he still didn't die…it takes a lot of spirit to survive something like that."

"So what does that mean to you?" Zaruba enquired.

"I don't know" Kiume furrowed his brow. "But it could mean there's a fighting spirit buried in that admittedly pathetic exterior. Perhaps I should have a little talk with the girls."

"I can see what you're getting at, Kiume…" Zaruba spoke again. "But I think you might be jumping to conclusions, and I feel the 'girls' might be inclined to agree with me."

Kiume sighed "Maybe. But I'm not going to sit back and simply ignore my instincts." With that, he made sure Zaruba was still well hidden, before going back to eat with Nuka…

Time passed, and the two were now at a small pond, as Kiume was using his paw to wash a slightly struggling Nuka, who coughed and sputtered a bit as he growled a bit unhappily.

"What's the point of all this, Kiume?" he protested

Kiume shook his head. "A true survivor should have a bit more of a dignified look than you do, now kindly hold still." He ran a paw along his short mane, and attempted to straighten out his crooked whiskers.

Nuka sighed, seeing no point in struggling now. Nothing else in his life was working out too well before this point anyway. "Oh, very well…guess I've got nothing to lose, really."

Kiume smiled. "Now that's a good attitude Nuka. You should always try to keep an open mind on some things." He finished and looked Nuka over as he dried off. "Ok, that's decent for now…a little more work, and maybe we can make you even more appealing to a lioness' eyes."

"Whoa, whoa…" Nuka narrowed his eyes. "Aren't we thinking a little too far ahead for that?"

Kiume chuckled. "Well, you never know when opportunities are going to come along, Nuka…I sure wasn't prepared when I met Zina."

Nuka smiled "Ohhhh so you do have someone, huh? Where is she?"

"Oh, she's back home, in the west lands, patiently awaiting my return." Kiume walked away from the pond as Nuka followed.

Nuka looked to him curiously. "What are you doing all the way out from there?"

Kiume smiled "Well…that's a bit of a long story, and I think you should get some rest before you hear it. I'm gonna take you to see someone tomorrow anyway."

"Who?" Nuka enquired.

"Friends of mine…very good friends…" he laid himself down on a patch of grass nearby and rested, as Nuka slowly nodded, feeling sleepy himself as he flopped down on the grass and closed his eyes…

Time passed as Nuka dreamt something awful, his voice talking to another's in his head.

"Nuka, you fool!"

"Mother, stay away!"

"You were always weak."

"Mother, don't say that!"

"You are not my son…"

"Mother, don't!

"Your are NOT my son!"

In flash, Nuka sat up quickly on the spot of grass where he slept, panting heavily. He looked around him, realizing it was all a dream as he sighed. He looked to his left, and realized that Kiume was no longer sleeping in his spot.

Nuka shrugged, and figured he was just off answering the call of nature, as he slowly laid back down…before hearing a voice call to him.

"Hey…"

The voice sounded female, as he looked up to see a pretty lioness staring at him.

Nuka sat up quickly. "Oh!…hi there…"

The lioness smiled, almost slyly. "I'm a bit lost…could you point me out to a watering hole nearby?"

Nuka thought to himself as he got back onto his feet. "Hmmmm…well, there is a pond not too far from where we are now, that should be just as good…"

"Excellent." The lioness grinned. "Lead the way."

Nuka nodded and smiled as he lead the Lioness down the hill to the pond, thinking his clean-up from Kiume was helping him with the females already, a bit excited as he planned to do something he had never dreamed of…talk to a lioness outside of his family!

The lioness simply grinned as she took a drink from the water, and looked up at Nuka. "You like me, don't you?"

Nuka just froze up and sputtered. "I…uhhhh…hehe…uhhhhhh…" he blushed like mad.

"You do…" she smiled as she got up and walked to him. "I can sense it in you." She slowly began to nuzzle up to him!

Nuka just froze more, breathing erratically as the lioness rubbed up to him more, purring. "You love the feel of it, don't you? The soft fur…the supple flesh beneath…the pretty face…all you males are alike…so enamored of such simple charms…"

She grinned more as her smile took on a much more menacing look in the shadows. "…Such easy prey, really…" her voice grew distorted and ugly as well!

Nuka gasped and tried to run off, before the lioness suddenly tackled him with amazing strength! He was now pinned under the weight of this scary lioness looking at him, her eyes now glowing red as her teeth grew longer and sharper!

"Ohhhhh no…" she spoke in her distorted voice. "You shall not be running from me, foolish male." Nuka panted in fear as she sniffed him. "Mmmmm good…your scent is ripe with fear. Fear makes a male taste so rich and succulent."

Nuka's eyes widened. "But you're a lioness…surely you don't mean to eat one of your own kind!."

The lioness shook her head and growled happily. "Ohhhh indeed I do…indeed I do!" With that she opened her large jaw, and leaned down to take a big bite out of Nuka's jugular…

Nuka screamed in terror, before something came out of the shadows and tackled the lioness! He sat up quickly to see that it was Kiume who had over-powered her!

Kimue stood across from the lioness as she growled and got back to her feet, snarling at Kiume as Nuka ran over to his side.

"Kiume! It's about time you came back! This lioness is out of her mind!"

Suddenly, a familiar metallic voice came from Kiume's Mane. "That's no mere lioness my friend…"

Nuka looked left and right for the voice. "Who said that?"

"My friend is right." Kiume said, as he revealed Zaruba from under his mane. "This creature is what we call a 'Horror'!"

"Horror? What? What is this?" Nuka looked at him and the necklace, very confused.

"I'll explain this all later. Right now…duck!" Kiume pulled Nuka down as the lioness suddenly vomited up a mass of black gunk, which burned the ground some, once it hit.

Kiume pushed Nuka to the side so he wouldn't get hurt, as he leapt away from another barrage of black gunk.

Zaruba spoke once more. "That is the horror called "Syrena"…she lures males to her with feminine charms, eating them at their most vulnerable moments."

Syrena noticed the speaking from Zaruba now, and licked her lips. "So…you are in possession of a madou necklace? This should be a very interesting meal indeed." She laughed a bit as Kiume readied himself for something.

"Show me what you're made of, male…" She roared. With that, her body began to twist and shift before his and Nuka's eyes, bones crackling as her skin changed a bit, her body going onto two feet as her form became almost humanoid, eyes still glowing red as she took a form closer to her normal demonic Horror body!

Syrena growled and readied the sharp claws on her hands as Nuka backed away more, looking at Kiume. "What are you doing? Are you actually thinking of fighting that thing!"

Kiume just looked on at the horror. "Just watch me…"

Nuka blinked, and looked on, as Kiume slowly drew a circle in the earth with his claw, before stepping into the middle of it with the same paw, causing a shaft of light to suddenly shoot up from the spot!

Syrena roared again, letting her opponent prepare himself as Nuka watched on with awe, an odd aura of light now surrounding Kiume as his body slowly began to change in front of Nuka's eyes.

Syrena then decided she had seen enough, before roaring and running up to where Kiume was standing, only to be smacked by a large golden hand that came out from nowhere, making her fall back!

The horror squealed in pain as Nuka looked back at where Kiume had been standing. The same golden arm pulled back, to reveal a large, and vicious looking mask, resembling a golden lion's head with its large fangs bared, it's muzzle in a permanent snarl as Kiume let out an unearthly roar underneath it!

Nuka was in awe of the figure Kiume had changed into, a humanoid form dressed in an imposing and powerful looking knight's armor, which glowed as it was golden from head to foot.

Syrena hissed at the knight, spewing another load of black gunk from her mouth as it flew towards him, simply dissolving once it touched his shining armor! She let loose another barrage, only to have it all dissolve on his armor again. Frustrated, she vomited another load onto her claws, before hurling it at the knight! The knight simply raised his arm, as the ball of gunk exploded on his gauntlet, making pieces fly everywhere as Nuka ducked to avoid some of them.

The horror roared as it ran towards the knight, suddenly stretching her arm out to grab him, before he stepped back and reached into the large scabbard on his side, pulling out a huge broadsword he could wield in one hand, as it made a ringing sound upon its unsheathing. He jumped to avoid a few of the horror's grabs for him, before grabbing her wrist, and bringing the sword down, easily severing her arm!

Nuka looked on in awe of the knight's strength, as Syrena squealed and roared loudly at the loss of her limb. Angry, she completely threw away her lioness façade, ripping off all the flesh and fur as her full demonic form was now revealed, unfurling her large wings as she took to the sky, hissing as her small horns grew from her head.

She flew down, reaching out to strike the knight as he soon took his sword and jumped up to meet her in mid-air, having great agility in this armor as well, as he brought up his sword before they collided…the blade slashed through her middle like butter, completely carving the horror in half as her form soon exploded thereafter, a shower of black blood and sinews raining down into the pond below, as it all slowly dissolved.

With that, Nuka slowly got back onto his feet, just staring at the knight as he walked slowly towards him.

"Just who in the world are you?" Nuka managed to finally say.

"I told you…I'm Kiume." The knight answered, his voice echoing a little in the armor, before it suddenly vanished in a flash, leaving Kiume in his familiar form near Nuka. "But as you can see, that's not all of who I am."

Nuka nodded slowly, as he finally saw Zaruba up close. "And what is that?"

Zaruba spoke up as Nuka jumped a bit. "I am Zaruba. I am a madou necklace. I help your friend here in tracking down Horrors…Demon beasts that live in the underworld, but often find ways to come to the earth, and devour or possess any of the living they can find."

"I see." Nuka's eyes widened. "And you two spend your time hunting these things?"

Kiume nodded as Zaruba spoke up once more. "It is written in the scolls of the fates…'Where there is light, shadows lurk, and fear reigns…but by the blade of knights, the world was given hope'."

"Knights?" Nuka narrowed his eyes to Kiume.

"Yes." Kiume answered. "I am a makai knight…the golden knight, known as Garo."

Nuka just looked on and blinked a bit as he rubbed his head a bit with a paw. "How do I know that I'm not still dreaming here?"

Kiume laughed as he began to walk back up to their sleeping spot. "Try to go back to sleep then… if it is a dream, you'll probably wake yourself up in the process."

Nuka nodded slowly as he followed his new companion and his strange talking trinket.

"Trust me, Nuka. After you've gotten a good night's sleep, this will all start making more sense." Kiume smiled, laying back down and going to sleep almost immediately.

"Hmmmm…" Nuka mused as he saw Kiume already asleep. "Already out…I guess slaying an ugly monster will do that to you…"

With that, Nuka began to drift off as well, part of him hoping this was all a dream, but another part of him too intrigued to want to wake up from it all, if it really was.


	2. The Training Begins

Nuka walked on up the mountain path with Kiume, the two having gotten a restful night's sleep as the new day had come, and the two traveled into lands that Lions seldom went into.

"How much further away are these friends of yours?" Nuka enquired.

"Oh, not much further now." Kiume responded.

"They should be waiting in that cavern a little further on up." Zaruba spoke.

Nuka blinked a bit as he walked behind his new companion. "That thing around your neck knows where they are?"

Kiume smiled and nodded some. "Oh yes. Just as he can sniff out horrors, Zaruba knows the location of all the sacred areas."

"Sacred areas?" Nuka tilted his head. "Just what kind of friends are these guys?"

"Girls actually…" Kiume responded. "And you shall find out soon enough."

Zaruba's mouth moved once again as he spoke. "There they are. They're in the next cavern to your left."

Kiume nodded quickly as he walked to the cavern, looking over at Nuka. "Stay behind me."

Nuka blinked, and nodded slowly, as he slowly, and uneasily, followed him into the cavern, not quite sure what to make of it all, but not ready to abandon the interesting lion just yet.

The usual cavernous sounds echoed through the natural hallway, water drops and such, as Kiume slowly walked down the path calmly, with Nuka following close behind, just staying quiet as he looked all around.

As they went further down the path, a strange, unearthly glow began to emanate from sections of the rocky walls, Nuka watching each one with awe as Kiume just calmly lead him down, as if what he was seeing wasn't all that remarkable.

Nuka then noticed three figures in the distance, three lionesses lounging about on cushions, the unearthly glow being the strongest in this circular area of the cave. Their fur was very well kept, almost white in pigment, as they all slowly sat up to greet Kiume and his guest.

"Good morning, girls." Kiume smiled as he walked in.

"Good day to you, Kiume" One lioness answered, her voice sounding young, yet very calm and mature.

"Nice to see you, Kiume." Another answered with the same voice. "And congratulations on finding and cutting down the elusive horror, Syrena."

The third answered, her voice nearly indistinguishable from the others once more. "But you have us at a loss, Kiume. What exactly is the point of you bringing your new traveling companion here?"

Kiume turned to Nuka for a moment. "These are Kara, Mara, and Tara. They are the three fates of the light, watchdogs of this realm. The ones who gave me Zaruba, and thus my power to become a Makai knight."

Nuka just nodded, his eyes wide open at the sight of the three beautiful lionesses, as Kiume turned to address them.

"This young lion has much in common with me. He was treated very poorly in his previous life, and abandoned by those who claimed to be his family. I know he doesn't seem like very much to you now, but I tell you that I see a great strength buried in him. A great deal of potential…"

"I can see where you are headed with this…" Tara spoke.

Kara nodded and spoke. "You want this young lion to go through the ordeal…"

Nuka immediately jumped when he heard this, and looked to Kiume. "Ordeal? What's the ordeal? You never said anything about an ordeal…" He looked very, very nervous now.

Kiume turned to respond, before Mara answered for him. "It's quite simple, really. Kiume believes that you have the potential to become a makai knight yourself, and that you should be put through our course of training."

Nuka looked absolutely stunned as he eyed the lionesses, and then Kiume again. "But why? What's the point? You're already the knight, I mean."

"There are other titles that exist besides the title of Garo" Kara spoke.

Tara spoke next. "The other one we possess is that of the Silver knight, Zero (pronounced "zeh-roh), a title currently without a holder."

Nuka blinked, before thinking of something else. "And what happened to the last guy who had the title?"

Kiume smiled to him. "Oh, don't worry. He simply worked his way up to the title of Garo, and had no further need for it."

Nuka smiled just a little as he heard this, before Mara spoke up. "Kind of a shame, though."

Tara nodded. "Yes. Kiume was probably the best Zero we'd ever seen."

Kara smiled. "But, things in this life do have to change, don't they?"

Kiume looked to the fates, and back at Nuka "That's correct…when I came along, the late Rahima held the title of Garo, and he taught me everything I know now about being a Makai knight. And you know all about the circle of life, right? Well, we makai knights must follow it as well, and I wish to keep it going. That's why I want to pass on the knowledge that Rahima gave to me."

Nuka just sat down and slowly shook his head, chuckling a bit. "This is all so much to take in…but it's so amazing too. But, I'm confused. It seems your kind have been here a long time. How come nobody's ever seen you all before?"

Mara answered the question first. "It's quite simple to answer really."

Tara nodded. "Yes. The land you live in is quite far from where we usually watch things. Horrors usually don't have much of an interest in these lands."

Kara shifted a bit. "Yes, the other lands are even more ripe with life than these, thus more attractive to horrors. But for some reason, the horrors are beginning to migrate over here."

"And that's all the more reason for me to want to train you, Nuka." Kiume continued. "You know this place much better than I do. And heaven knows, it wouldn't hurt to have two knights around here to share the load of this job."

"Oh, right…the job." Nuka shuddered a bit as he remembered his encounter with Syrena. "You really think I can do it? I mean, kill all of those ugly, scary things?"

Kiume smiled a bit. "You carry the same doubts I did when I was first propositioned over this."

Nuka looked up at Kiume as the three fates rested, letting them talk it over.

"How did you get into this anyway?"

Kiume sighed a bit. "Well, like I said before, I know a lot about what you've been through. I was the runt of my pride as well, always ignored, never really cared for. And my father." He slowly shook his head. "He absolutely detested me. He hated me so much, that he threw me out of our family."

"No…" Nuka looked at him, eyes open wide.

"It's true." Kiume spoke softly. "He just swatted me away, called me a weakling, and proclaimed that I was not his son. I ran away from that place, ashamed, and I never went back. I lived on my own for such a long time, until I discovered one of the sacred areas."

Nuka looked on sympathetically as Kiume went on. "I snuck inside, and got a look at everything. That was when Rahima discovered me."

"Your mentor…" Nuka spoke up.

"That's right. As I said, he held the title of Garo, but he was beginning to grow old at that point. Once I told him how I ended up there, he took pity on me and convinced the fates to let me live with him. I spent much time growing up around there."

Nuka thought of something. "Do you remember the first time you saw one of those horrors?"

"Oh yes…all to well." Kiume's voice grew darker. "It was the middle of the night, and I woke up to hear someone calling to me. I ran outside, and lo and behold, there was my father! He said he had come to apologize, and wanted me to come back home. Oh, I was so filled with joy, I ran down to meet him…and then a sword came out of nowhere and pierced his heart."

Nuka watched in shock as Kiume talked on. "It was then that he showed his true colors, as Rahima came to my rescue. It was really a horror, one that used the innermost dreams of all creatures to lure them out into the open."

"I'm…sorry…" Nuka patted Kiume gently on the back.

"All I could think of…" Kiume sighed again. "Was why? Why did they have to go so deep inside of our souls, just so they could eat us? It was then that my true hatred for the horrors began to grow. From then on, I resolved to one day help my guardian with his work, so that what nearly happened to me would NEVER happen to any other innocent creature. It wasn't long after that I came of age, and Rahima decided to train me to become Zero. I got my wish not long after, and became a makai knight."

Kiume looked up some more. "We fought side by side, until Rahima finally succumbed to his old age, and before he passed away, officially gave me the title of Garo. And since then, I've been fighting on my own."

Nuka smiled a bit. "Wow…you've lived such an impressive life after all that pain…" he looked down a bit. "I wish I were that strong…"

"You can be…" Kiume looked to him sharply. "And you will be, with my help. Ever since Rahima's passing, it's been a goal of mine to find a new successor for when I die, someone like you. Someone who knows the very darkness that exists in this world, and deep down wants a chance to fight his way out of that darkness. Go through the training with me, and I swear to you, you'll find a completely new meaning in your life, and you'll be all the better for it."

Nuka slowly looked up at Kiume as he almost pleaded. "Trust me, Nuka…just as I trusted Rahima."

Nuka nodded a bit as his face lightened a bit, now indeed seeing what he could become one day if he did this. "I do, Kiume. And, I'll do it."

Kiume's face brightened with his smile from this response, as he looked over to the resting white lionesses. "He's Agreed!"

The three fates sat up almost immediately upon hearing this.

"Splendid." Kara smiled

Tara reached a paw under her cushion. "In that case, Nuka, there's someone you should meet…"

Mara looked to Nuka, as Tara pulled out a second Madou necklace. "Behold, the source of all of the power of the Silver Knight, Zero…"

Nuka walked closer to Tara, at Kiume's encouragement, as she smiled and placed the necklace over his head. He looked down to see the shape of a humanoid female's face, without eyes, with horns protruding from the head that attached to the chain. She spoke in the same small, echoing metallic voice that Zaruba did.

"Pleasure to meet you, young Nuka…call me 'Silva'"

Nuka blinked a bit, finding it a bit odd to have something talking and hanging from below his head at the same time, his mind going blank.

"Talk to her, Nuka" Zaruba suddenly spoke. "She's been in storage for some time now."

Nuka chuckled a bit and nodded. "Uhhhhh…Hi, Silva."

"Glad to see you're not averse to talking to me." Silva responded. "After all, the first step to being a Makai Knight is to be able to converse with your madou necklace regularly, to keep an open relationship with it."

"I'll keep that in mind." Nuka responded, smiling now, but in an odd way.

"It is now time you be off to train." Mara spoke.

"Yes…" Tara Responded. "The training area is in the cave behind us."

"You may train with Silva as often as you wish." Kara looked on to Nuka. "However, until that training is complete, and you are ready to become a true knight, you are forbidden to take Silva away from our sacred area."

Nuka nodded slowly. "I understand."

"Good." Silva answered him. "Then let us proceed with the basic training."

Nuka nodded and walked to the cave, looking back and seeing Kiume in the same spot as before. "You're not coming with me?"

Kiume shook his head. "Not for right now. I have a little patrolling to do in the area. Just listen to Silva, and you'll do fine."

Nuka just nodded again and walked into the cave with Silva. Within moments, he was in a wide-open underground space, the rocks nice and smooth on the walls as he felt the dirt ground under his paws, the ceiling above him giving off an unearthly glow.

"Wow…this place feels so strange." Nuka shivered a bit as he walked into the area.

Silva spoke again. "This is part of the home of the fates, one of many homes they have…you're in sacred land. In here, you can summon your armor, and wear it for as long as you need it. See, outside of a place like this, your armor can only last for 5 minutes at the most. It can be re-summoned if you still need it after, but doing that can leave you open, and summoning your armor too many times can exhaust you almost to the point of death. So you must always be mindful of when and where you do it."

Nuka nodded gently as he stood in the middle of the area. "Ok then…so how do I summon the armor?"

Silva spoke up again. "You simply draw a circle into the ground with one of your claws, and place your paw firmly in the middle of it."

Nuka responded with his paw, extracting a claw and slowly drawing a circle into the dirt below. He knew he'd have to practice, so he could do this as quickly as he saw Kiume do it.

"Now remember, you're body is going to change in order to fit this armor." Silva warned Nuka. "You may feel a bit disoriented when you first do this. Just keep your focus steady, and it will eventually pass."

"ok…" Nuka took a deep breath after hearing this, and slowly put his paw in the middle of the drawn circle, firmly holding it in place as a shaft of light suddenly came up from below the circle, surrounding him.

Silva spoke as this happened. "You have just made an opening in the spirit realm, where the armor of the knights resides. The forces of light have acknowledged your request because of my presence on you."

Nuka just stood and listened as he felt something come over him, something odd. It only lasted a second, as a flash came over him, and he realized he was now standing on what had been his hind legs.

He looked down and realized he had arms now, as his body was covered in a silver metallic shell, which was currently glowing as it was just placed on his body. The glow slowly subsided as he breathed heavily and stroked his hands along his new, armored form, feeling slightly dizzy.

"Get a hold of your breath, Nuka" Silva instructed, as he nodded and walked over to a wall, leaning on it some, as he felt his face. He couldn't find a reflection of himself, so he simply felt the indentations in the metal on his mask, which was in the shape of a silver lion's head, the muzzle slightly longer than Garo's as the mouth was once again in a permanent, menacing snarl, all the teeth clearly defined.

"Amazing…" Nuka managed to say under his mask, his voice having a bit of an unearthly echo under the armor.

"Indeed." Silva answered. "Your entire body is now covered in a substance commonly known as 'Soul Metal', which your weapons are made of as well. Nothing, short of the weapons of another makai knight, can break it or penetrate it."

Nuka realized something as he found his footing slowly. "My weapons…where are they?"

"They're on your back of course." Silva responded.

Nuka reached back as he heard this, feeling around as he finally gripped the handle of a sword, sheathed along his back. He felt something move below it, as he reached back with his other hand, and felt a second handle, realizing he had two swords on his back rather than just one. He pulled them out gently and held them out with his arms, admiring the crescent-shaped blades as the soul metal on them shone.

Silva spoke once more. "These are the twin swords of Zero. With them, the possibilities for swift and deadly attacks are almost endless. The key to it all is in your positioning, which is what I shall start teaching you."

Nuka just nodded as she stated this, feeling a little weird about taking orders from an object hanging around his neck, but going along with it anyway, as he still felt like he really wanted to master moving around in this big case of silver metal.

With that, the real physical training began. Silva talked him through all the basic stances, foot positioning, balance, and even got into a few basic swiping maneuvers with his swords. Nuka was very awkward with these moves at first, but Silva was patient with him as he very slowly began to pick up on them.

As this was all going on, something else was afoot in an area not too far from the sacred place of the fates. A male cheetah was leading a female cheetah into a clearing, a calm, but somehow foreboding smile on his face as the female followed curiously behind him.

"C'mon now" The female called to her mate. "We're you joking or what? You said you could grant me the face of true beauty. What were you implying? Am I suddenly not beautiful enough for you?"

The male smiled and turned to her. "No, that's not what I meant at all. You're very lovely as you are. But I now have the power to make you more-so."

The Female chuckled. "You ARE teasing me."

"Oh really?" The male mused. He walked over to his mate, sat with her, lifted one of his forepaws and placed it on her face. Within seconds, a warm gush of energy went into her body, altering it subtly and slowly.

The female gasped and almost fell completely to the ground as this energy overcame her. She crawled over to a pond nearby and got a look at her reflection.

The Male looked on with a big smile, licking his lips a little as he walked over to the female, who looked and saw she was indeed even lovelier looking than she was before. She just sat there, in absolute awe, before she slowly looked back at her approaching mate.

"How…how did you do that?" She asked, half-smiling, half scared.

The male just laughed a bit. "It's so amazing…the danger that some will put themselves into in order to improve what's outside…even if it costs them everything inside, including their souls."

"Muhashmy?" The female addressed her mate softly.

"Ahhhhh, such a beautiful face." The male cheetah's eyes began to glow, revealing the Horror that had possessed him. "Such a wonderful appearance sets my taste buds aflame." He opened his mouth to reveal a long, sharper set of teeth, as his jaw suddenly grew wider!

"Muhashmy!…no!" The female screamed, trying to run off!

"I hunger!" The possessed male roared, before leaping with incredible strength onto the female and taking a big bite out of her flesh, as she screamed for her last time, blood soaking into the grass below as the Horror beneath the male began to feast messily!

At this exact moment, Kiume rushed onto the scene, only to find the horror he was looking for had already claimed his meal, the female's carcass strewn about with the blood. A disgusting sight!

"No! We're too late!" Kiume shouted out, looking away in revulsion as he clutched the ground angrily with his paws.

Upon hearing the yelling, the possessed male's ears perked, as he growled and turned to face the lion, blood dripping from his large maw and sharp teeth as snarled at Kiume.

"You…" he spoke in a distorted voice now. "You carry the aura of a makai knight!"

Zaruba spoke up as Kiume faced down the cheetah. "That is the horror called 'Armus'. He is attracted to beautiful females, and will even use his powers to alter them to his requirements before he eats them."

"How dare you interrupt my meal!" Armus growled.

"And how dare you trick an innocent female who did nothing wrong in her life, merely for your own satisfaction!" Kiume shot back.

He drew a circle into the dirt below as Armus snarled. "I do not fear you, knight! You may not be a female, but your corpse shall be a more than adequate second course!"

Kiume soon stomped his paw into the circle, the shaft of light shooting out and going over him, as he was soon standing in the shiny golden armor of Garo afterward!

"Empty words, murderer!" Kiume shouted from under his armor, Zaruba still visible around his neck as he withdrew his gigantic sword. "If you really think your claws can pierce my armor, then why not try to do it, then!"

Armus soon growled after this, and shifted his form, the bones snapping as he took on a bipedal form and withdrew the large claws on his enlarging paws, now a hulking half-cheetah demon, as he roared out and threw himself towards Kiume, who soon sidestepped this attack and sent him flying with a hard backhand using the hilt of his sword.

As he fell to the ground, Armus quickly pulled himself back up, and pulled out a nasty surprise, holding out his arms as large chains suddenly shot out of his wrists, heading straight for Kiume. Kiume swung his sword, cutting off a few links from the chains, but they simply grew too long as Armus stood there laughing, still holding out his arms as the chains attached to them wrapped around Kiume's armored body, coiling around his middle like a snake as armored lion struggled.

"This is bad" Zaruba spoke. "His claws may not be able to pierce you, but these chains will surely crush you to death from inside."

Kiume nodded as he struggled and wriggled against the chains, feeling them squeeze and constrict around him. He looked over, and once again saw the remains of the female cheetah he had failed to save. He remembered why he was doing this, at that point. He could NOT fail this time, or else other lives would be at stake, including that of his love, Zina.

With that, Kiume suddenly balled up his fists and pushed against the chains, slowly building up strength as Armus tilted his head and kept squeezing as hard as he could. But it was no good…Kiume was getting stronger against the bonds, pushing, and pushing, and pushing….then, with a tremendous yell and roar from underneath his armor, he brought his arms up, making the chains break and fall apart everywhere!

"Damn you!" Armus growled lowly, before launching himself at Kiume with his calws ready to strike once more. Kiume was very well prepared, as he grabbed Armus' one arm, spun around behind him, and quickly brought his sword down on his other hand, slicing all of his claws fingers off!

Black blood shot out from the stumps of the fingers as Armus howled in pain, flailing with his other claw, before Kiume turned and roared once more, promptly thrusting his sword into Armus' middle, impaling him with it as the end came out of his back!

Armus roared in pain as he held the blade and gagged some, black blood trickling from his maw as Kiume looked right into his eyes under the helmet.

"For innocence…"

After speaking those words softly, he promptly backhanded Armus across the face, causing him to let go of the sword as Kiume swung it upward while it was still in the demon, completely and vertically splitting the monster in half from the belly up to his head!

Black blood shot out everywhere from the horror's body as it slowly crumbled and lay unmoving on the ground. Kiume simply stared on at the body as it quickly broke down and began to dissolve, the blood soaking into the earth and vanishing, returning to the underworld from whence it came.

Kiume soon returned to his normal form in a flash, the armor returning to the light.

"If only I'd gotten here in time." Kiume shook his head as he looked at the female cheetah's dead body. "I could have saved her."

"You're not all-powerful, Kiume." Zaruba reminded him. "Some things in this world are going to go beyond your control. Seeing the dead and possessed victims of the horrors is all part of the job. You know that very well, just as Rahima did."

"I know." Kiume began to head home with a sigh. "I just wish I didn't have to see it so often sometimes."

"I understand" Zaruba responded. "For now, though, we must re-focus on the task at hand."

"You're right" Kiume responded, soon reaching the sacred home of the Fates. "I must see how Nuka is handling his first day of training."

He headed back to an observation area where the three lionesses were already watching Nuka. Kiume walked in and looked down to see Nuka trying out a few of the more advanced techniques in his Zero armor.

"He seems to be progressing rather well." Kiume observed.

"Indeed. Quite well." Mara answered.

"His footing has already come a long way." Tara spoked.

"But his fighting spirit…" Kara frowned. "He still seems rather hesitant."

Kiume smiled and nodded. "Well, that's to be expected on the first day. We'll just have to see how he does once we've put him through the true ordeal."

The fates simply nodded one at a time, as they continued to view Nuka's progress in the training area.


	3. Inner Journey

Time passed since the first day that Nuka began his training, doing his best to keep up with Silva's teachings ever since he first stepped into the training area. He had progressed quite nicely with his basic skills, and the Zero armor became more and more comfortable to him each time he summoned it.

Today, Kiume had decided he was ready to test his new apprentice on his progress. He walked into the training space with Nuka a little behind him.

"Are you sure I'm ready for this?" Nuka enquired.

"No…" Kiume answered, smiling a bit. "But that's the point of this exercise anyway. I want to see just how ready you are for real combat, and thus if you're prepared to become a full-fledged Makai knight."

Nuka nodded slowly as he looked up, seeing the lioness fates gazing down at the two from a ledge, higher up in the area.

Kiume made his way to the center of the rocky room, and turned and began to make a circle in the ground with his claw.

"Just go easy on me this time, ok?" Nuka called out, making his own circle with his claw.

Kiume just shook his head. "I can't do that, Nuka. The only way you're going to really learn anything is if I come at you with everything I've got."

"Just remember what I taught you, Nuka" Silva spoke, as Nuka nodded and uneasily stepped into the circle, summoning his armor as it came through the light in the circle and transformed him instantly. Kiume watched as he summoned his armor soon after, transforming into Garo in a matter of seconds.

Nuka stood in the Zero armor as he quickly reached back and withdrew his twin swords, while Garo slowly pulled out his large broadsword, readying it as he got into a fighting stance with the sword raised over his head.

Standing with his left sword aimed towards his opponent, and his right close to his chest, Nuka prepared to fight off Kiume as he suddenly roared and charged in quickly in his heavy golden armor, swinging his large sword down as Nuka quickly sidestepped and attempted to strike Kiume with his right sword, only to have Kiume deflect his blow with the hilt of his sword, before rushing up and smacking into Nuka with his shoulder.

Nuka grunted and fell back, falling hard onto his side as Kiume came in and swung his sword down towards Nuka. Nuka rolled out of the way quickly and slashed with his left sword at Kiume's ankle, cutting into the armor as Kiume yelled in pain and saw blood seep out onto the ground.

The trainee lion got back onto his feet and readied both of his swords hesitantly, wondering if he should go any further after wounding his friend. He was shocked to look down and see the blood flow suddenly stop, and cut in the armor fixed itself.

"Have no fear, Nuka." Kiume's voice echoed under the helmet. "Wounds heal quickly in this place." He then readied his sword for another attack. "Quite an impressive recovery. Let's see how you handle this one…"

He roared again as he came in hard and swung his sword. Nuka tried to counter the swing by slashing with both his swords, but his nervousness got the better of him, and he couldn't swing them hard enough. Kiume knocked both his arms back as he deflected both swords at the same time, making Nuka struggle to hold onto both swords as Kiume quickly brought his sword back down and slashed into Nuka's chest armor!

Nuka yelled out in shock and pain, falling over and clutching his chest as he felt the blood rushing out, before feeling the wound and armor heal over quickly. His hand shook as he pulled it back and saw his own blood stained slightly on it, dripping off slowly as he breathed hard through his helmet.

"There will be times, Nuka, when your body ends up feeling such pain." Kiume spoke with his sword at his side. "Adjust yourself to it now, and better yet, learn to respond to it."

Nuka looked down at the last of the blood dripping off his armor, as he felt a force, a powerful emotion beginning to well up in him. He breathed harder as this force began to overtake his body. He began to growl lowly, as Kiume watched intently.

He took another swing at Nuka with his sword as the apprentice suddenly felt a great burst of power inside of him. He roared out and quickly rolled again, swinging his right sword upward as it slashed into Kiume's hand!

Kiume stepped back and grunted as he still held the sword in his wounded, and quickly healing hand, a little blood dripping out as Nuka got up and roared with a rage he never felt before, slashing his left sword as Kiume blocked it, but then bringing his right sword in and smoothly cutting into Kiume's abdominal armor, more blood seeping out as Nuka yelled and spun with his swords outstretched, making Kiume block them both with his long blade.

Nuka was now standing with his swords crossed over Kiume's blade, caught on it as the two struggled. Kiume grunted and growled in response to Nuka's rage, putting an end to the whole attack as he quickly stomped onto Nuka's left foot with his right, and smashed his helmet into Nuka's with a well-timed headbutt!

The young apprentice fell to the ground, gripping his head and moaning as blood seeped out from around the neck, before he instantly made himself shift back to his original form, pawing at his rapidly healing face.

Kiume looked down at Nuka as he also shifted back.

"Quite a fight, for a beginner." Zaruba spoke up around Kiume's neck.

Kiume nodded slightly. "Yes. You fought well with what you had, and your skills are clearly progressing. But something's holding you back…"

Nuka grunted and rubbed his face as it fully healed. "And what would that be?"

"Only you know the answer to that." Silva spoke up around his neck.

"I wish I did…" Nuka sighed as he got back onto his feet.

"There's a way to find and confront the part of you that's holding your stronger self down." Kiume sat near Nuka as he said this.

"I'm almost afraid to ask what that way is." Nuka said, half to himself.

Tara suddenly spoke up as the fates were now on the ground level with the two lions. "The method Kiume speaks of is the 'Inner Journey'."

Nuka rolled his eyes and chuckled a bit. "Oh, that sounds good."

"It is a method we usually reserve for when a knight is further into his training than you are, but Kiume seems to feel you're ready for it." Mara stood to Tara's left as she said this, as Kara spoke next from her right.

"Although we're naturally skeptical, you have shown an unusually quick learning rate in your training, compared to apprentices of the past."

Nuka nodded slowly. "Well, could you give me a little time to recover from this little duel first?"

"Of course" Kara nodded.

"We need time to prepare for the ceremony anyway." Tara spoke as she began to walk off, with Mara following after with Kara.

Kiume smiled some as he walked up next to Nuka. "Don't worry…you may not have beaten me in that fight, but you still showed much potential. Especially when you came back from that chest wound."

Nuka nodded as he remembered what happened. "I just remember looking at the blood on my hand, and feeling something growing inside me. This intense anger I've never felt before. Anger…and a little hatred too, I think."

"I know you probably think you should regard those emotions as negative." Kiume walked out of the training room with Nuka slowly. "However, in this case, hatred and anger can be used as very powerful tools…remember Nuka, these are Horrors that we're fighting, despicable creatures that live only to consume other creatures, regardless of their age, their health, or even their innocence…" Kiume's eyes narrowed as he remembered the corpse of the cheetah he saw many days ago. "…It is right that we should hate them."

Nuka didn't say anything as he just walked, looking to Kiume every so often as they made their way to small body of water within the cave, stopping to get a drink. Kiume had a firm look in his eyes as he turned to Nuka after getting his drink.

"Remember it Nuka…remember that surge of emotion you felt when I wounded you. You already know deep down how to tap into that power, and from here, the trick shall be in focusing it."

"Yeah, Focus…" Nuka nodded slowly. "That's something I've been lacking for a long time, I think."

"And you'll find it…" Kiume smiled. "Just like I did all that time ago."

Nuka took another drink as he looked up to the slightly older lion. "You went through this 'Inner Journey' before, right?"

"Yes."

Nuka swallowed a bit, uneasily. "What's it like?"

Kiume breathed in slowly, and looked up some. "Well, the fates are going to have you lay down, and they'll slowly put you into a dream state…"

"You mean I'm gonna be asleep for this?" Nuka furrowed his brow.

Kiume nodded slowly. "Only your body though…the journey is through your mind, your soul, your very inner being. The fates will monitor you using their power, but the only one who can communicate with you in this state will be Silva."

"That's correct" Silva spoke up. "And because of my link to your mind, you will also be able to summon your armor in your dream state."

"And why would I need that?" Nuka shook a little as he asked this.

"Because you'll be facing parts of your being that are holding you back." Kiume answered for Silva. "The goal of the Inner Journey is to confront those parts of you, and defeat them. The Armor shall be symbolic of the desire to do so in your mind. Remember though, that the armor shall only be as strong as your will, so do not let that weaken, above all."

Nuka sighed and smiled slightly as he hung his head. "This all sounds so daunting. Especially for someone like me."

"What did I just tell you?" Kiume stated firmly. "You cannot, you MUST not doubt yourself anymore, Nuka. I'm telling you, there's a strong, fighting soul buried deep inside of you, and you must learn to bring him to the surface, not only for your own good, but for the good of many innocents who live here."

Kiume's expression softened some as he looked to Nuka. "I believe in you, Nuka…isn't it about time you did the same?"

Nuka looked up slowly, just beginning to nod as Tara walked in on them.

"We are ready for you, Nuka." She spoke.

Kiume motioned to Tara. "Go with her."

Nuka nodded gently and stood to join Tara, walking off with her as Kiume soon got up and followed far behind.

"Once again, I hope you know what you're doing, Kiume." Zaruba spoke up on his neck. "We're either going to end up with a new Makai knight, or just another innocent with a scarred, tortured psyche."

"Zaruba…" Kiume sighed. "Just this once, have a little faith in my decision-making, hm?"

Zaruba remained silent, just content to watch now, as Kiume walked into the main room, and saw Nuka being led to a cushion nearby. The young lion smiled slightly at the sight of the three pretty white lionesses getting closer to him, as the ceremony began.

Mara suddenly rubbed against Nuka, trying to calm him. "All we need for you is to be comfortable now, Nuka…" Kara nodded and rubbed against him too, the sensation sending vibrations into his body as Nuka couldn't help but smile, and feel a little attracted to them all…that was until he felt a claw at his throat.

"Not that comfortable, if you please." Tara stated firmly, as Nuka quickly put those foolish thoughts out of his mind, and nodded, lying down slowly on the cushion.

"That's good. Now, just relax your mind, and body." Mara spoke.

"We shall do the rest." Tara continued.

Kara looked to them both and nodded. "Now, to the incantation."

Nuka simply lied there, getting more calm and relaxed as the three lionesses slowly and softly began to chant, in a language he didn't recognize, just a lot of mystical gibberish, from what he could tell, while Kiume silently looked on.

Slowly but surely, Nuka's consciousness began to slip away as he lied on the cushion, breathing slowly. He tried not to fight, and otherwise found it very difficult to do so, with the warmth of the cushion, and the soothing chants from the fates. He slowly began to fade…

…Darkness soon followed, as Nuka fell into a deep sleep, his body in a complete state of relaxation, one that he had never felt before, until he felt something inside coaxing him awake.

Nuka opened his eyes, and stretched slowly. He was no longer in the cave, or so it seemed, but Silva was still around his neck. He was in some place outside, but it was nothing he recognized. It was like a savannah, but the earth was colored a bit differently, and the sky was covered with some oddly shaped clouds.

He realized soon after that he was in a dream world. His inner journey had begun.

"Be on your guard, Nuka" Silva spoke. "Even I am not sure of what you will encounter in here."

Nuka nodded slowly as he rose to his feet, not saying a thing as he slowly made his way down the path before him. At one point, he finally spoke to his only traveling companion.

"What am I supposed to be looking for in this place?" He asked Silva.

"You will know it when you see it." Silva simply answered.

He walked along slowly as he nodded, looking up at the cloudy sky, before noticing a spot to the south where these strange bodies seemed to break up a little, heading in that direction.

Nuka made his way up a hill, reaching the top as he looked over. He saw a breathtaking view beyond, noticing a long, green, beautiful country in the distance, shrouded in an oval of light, a place where the strange, dark clouds had no power.

A smile crossed Nuka's face as he gazed upon this distant land. "It's….beautiful…it's like…it's like I sense nothing but pure light in there…pure….goodness!"

"Then it may be the goal you're looking for Nuka…go to it." Silva spoke, encouragingly.

Nuka nodded quickly with a smile as he went over the top and ran down the hill, making his way quickly to the distance, headed right for the land enshrouded in light, attracted to it. Then something suddenly came out from the darkness and tackled him!

The young lion rolled away from the figure and looked up, a look of horror crossing his face as he saw a familiar figure.

"Mother!"

The figure of Zira looked down at him as Silva spoke. "She is a symbol, Nuka. A representation of the forces holding you back, it seems."

Zira looked to the land of light and back to Nuka. "Don't go into that place, Nuka. There is nothing there for you. Stay with me."

Nuka got up and shook his head slowly. "I don't believe you…"

Zira growled a bit. "You dare to doubt the wisdom of your own mother?" she scoffed at him and circled him. "Look at yourself. You're weak. You always were weak, Nuka. You could do nothing, nothing at all, without me to watch over you. And the way you foolishly pursued the king and had those logs topple onto you is a perfect example of your uselessness. And now you're going to put your trust in a complete stranger, and take orders from a hunk of rock hanging from your neck?" She looked to Silva and made a disgusted noise. "I'm surprised you're not dead right now!"

Nuka shook with anger as the words he always wanted to say, deep down, quickly rose to the surface. "Shut up!"

Zira narrowed her eyes to Nuka. "What did you say to me?"

Nuka growled. "I said shut up! It's not for you to decide where I wanna go!"

With that he took off, running in the direction of the land of light, as Zira growled and felt her form begin to change.

"How dare you…how dare you treat me with such insolence!" she roared as her body shifted, becoming bipedal as her muscles grew larger, resembling a horror now as she flexed her new arms, and reached out for her son, her arm suddenly growing longer and longer as it reached out and grabbed Nuka, her body growing larger as the clouds grew darker!

Nuka yelled out in surprise as he was grabbed, looking up in shock, as his mother was larger and more powerful, her teeth much longer and sharper as she gripped him tightly, making him shout in pain some.

"If you shall not give me your obedience freely, then I shall crush you, and watch your life flow from you, like the blood of a fresh kill!" Zira growled in a distorted voice, gripping him harder! "You are not my son anymore! Die!…Die without me!"

Nuka's mind raced as he struggled, unable to move…he felt like there was no way out, almost ready to give up, give up any hope of ever seeing that land of light, which hew knew he should make his way to, that was, until he remembered the words his master told him…all about not doubting, or giving up on himself.

"_I believe in you, Nuka…isn't it about time you did the same?" _

"Never…" he called out, answering his mother. "Never!…" he called out, louder, before feeling something grow inside of him.

"NEVER!" His voice echoed all across the land, as he roared and craned his head biting down hard on Zira's large hand as black blood spurted out of the wound, making her shriek and howl in pain as she dropped Nuka to the ground.

Nuka rolled out of the way, as Zira slashed at the ground with her hands, and tried to stomp on him with her feet, as Nuka yelled while avoiding it all.  
"I see the truth!…I see everything now!" he rolled again as a foot tried to smoosh him. "You held me back! You kept me from growing! You kept me from being all I could really be in this life!"

She took another slash at him as he leaped back with great agility, placing a single claw in the ground. "Well, no more, mother!…No more are you going to keep me in the same wretched place!" With that he quickly drew a circle into the earth, and stepped into it, a beam of light shooting up as Zira shrieked and stepped back from the sight of it, the light clearing and revealing Nuka, aglow in the armor of Zero!

He stood and roared loudly, with his swords ready in his hands, as Zira growled and swiped down at him with her claws, firing some of them onto the ground as others replaced them on her hands, as he jumped onto her arm and ran up her body, leaping to the sky with great agility as she tried to swipe at him, and wounded her own arm instead, black blood streaming out as he landed on her shoulder and leaped again, landing on her nose and jabbing his left sword into her eye!

Zira shrieked and roared out in pain as Nuka leaped off and fell all the way back down, landing on his feet as he bent his knees. Zira shrank down to his level as she clutched the wound where her eye used to be, as Nuka held his blades up to Silva, preparing for one of the last techniques she taught him as she opened her mouth and breathed silver colored flames, which engulfed his dual blades as he held them to his sides.

"You little bastard!" Zira roared, extracting her claws as she fired a few more at her son, as Nuka deflected them with his sword, before twirling them both gracefully and attaching the two blades at the hilts, creating a single double bladed weapon as small firey curves were formed in the air from the blades, swinging his weapon as he charged towards Zira, launching them all at her as they each flew past and cut into her, making small wounds appear all over her body as he finally rushed in and impaled her with one one of the blades, which went out through her back as she screamed out in pain!

"Why…Why son?…" she grunted weakly as he held the blade inside of her, great energy shooting in and all around her body from the weapons. "Why do you fight so hard now?…How were you able to acquire such strength to rise against me?"

Nuka looked her right in the eyes through his helmet. "It's just like you said, mother…I'm not your son anymore!" He jammed his blade deep inside of her, as a beam of great light shot out of her back, and into the sky!

She groaned as he shouted once more. "I don't need you anymore…I NEVER needed you! GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" He then roared and pulled out his weapons, splitting them in two once more as he brought them up and crossed them over her head, decapitating her as he turned his back to her, her body exploding as the light overcame her!

Zira's remains crumpled into dust, flowing away into the wind as Nuka turned his attention back to his target, the land of light in the distance.

"Go to it, Nuka…" Silva spoke. "Nothing's holding you back now."

Nuka nodded as he walked slowly in his Zero armor, which clanked gently as he walked closer and closer, each step feeling like an overwhelming victory to the young lion, as he finally could feel the light shining on his face through his helmet.

He sheathed his weapons and walked into the land of light, a beautiful place, that overwhelmed his senses with pure goodness. He felt it rush into every part of him as he changed back out of his armor, slowly lying down and taking it all in, feeling himself drifting off once more…

…Before waking up to the smiling face of Kiume, with the serene looks of the fates surrounding him.

"You did it, Nuka!" Kiume proclaimed happily. "You did it! Just like I knew you would!"

"That was a journey for the ages." Kara smiled.

"You impressed us all with your strength and determination, Nuka…." Mara followed. "And keep in mind, we are not easy beings to impress."

"We would be honored to make you a full fledged Makai knight…there's no further need for training." Tara smiled.

Nuka smiled and nodded as Kiume helped him up, and accompanied him to the watering hole once more.

Time passed, and all was prepared, as Kiume stood in his Garo armor, as Nuka was in his armor, walking slowly to the three fates with his weapons sheathed on his back, and Silva hanging proudly from his neck, not showing it, but once again happy to have a partner.

"It turns out I was wrong about Nuka after all" Zaruba spoke up. "He might just be up to this task after all."

Kiume nodded slowly in his helmet, watching emotionally as his young protégé stopped near the area where the fates were standing.

"Kneel.." Mara spoke, as Nuka slowly complied, getting down on one knee as she placed a paw on his shoulder.

"Your soul is strong, as is your body." She spoke again, as Tara placed a paw on his other shoulder.

"You have proven to us your resolve, and your worth." Tara spoke, as Kara placed a paw on his helmet.

"We hereby then confirm you as an official Makai knight for this realm, and thus grant you the title of the Silver knight, Zero." Kara stated. "Now rise…"

Nuka got onto his feet slowly, and bowed politely to them, his silver armor shining brightly, eyeing Kiume as he bowed in recognition of the newly dubbed Makai knight.

It was the start of something new for Nuka, a whole new world of possibility, and adventure. Yes, danger would be present too, but he was now fully prepared to face that danger head-on. And little did he know at the time, there was so much ahead that he would eventually have to face…


	4. Encounter at Pride Rock

Deep in the bowels of darkness, the realm of the horrors, an uneasy feeling could be gauged from one corner to the other. Indeed, any time a new Makai Knight stepped forward to bear the mantle of the light, it caused a great deal of dismay and fear through the ranks of the horrors. Very few would now be willing to step into the world of the living, for what would probably be a good while.

In one particular corner of this barren underworld, a figure sat in a chair. He was a lion once, but now had been given a humanoid form. Years ago, for his evil deeds, he had been cast into the pit of lost souls, to be eaten by young horrors not yet strong enough to the leave the realm. However, he had been able to survive the siege for a very long time, and by his resistance, the dark lords of the realm saw great strength to used for their cause.

He was offered the chance to join the ranks of a special fighting force known as The Foresaken...creatures that had once been proud, honorable hunters of the earth, but had now turned their backs on the light that sustained it, and fought only for their own glory, which in turn fed the dark lords with the fear and sadness of those who knew of them on earth.

The former lion sipped an unspeakable liquid slowly from a bronze chalice, and set it down, closing his darkened eyes, as he felt the presence of another being, which revealed itself to him only in shadow at present.

"Eligos..." the being spoke to him in a feminine sounding voice, using the name he had taken when left the pit.

"You needn't bother telling me what has happened..." Eligos spoke in his deep, growling voice. "I can feel it all through these bloody halls."

"Then you know why I have come to you?" The being whispered to him.

"I suppose you want me to do something about this new Makai knight..." Eligos took another sip from his chalice. "But why so soon? Should we not test his abilities with the horrors first, before we take the fight to him?"

"You know how exceptional Kiume has proven to be, since he started down the path as the Silver knight..." the being told him, as Eligos reminisced over some old battle scars on his body. "Do you really think it wise that we let a student of his start down the same path, and continue unabated?"

"Kiume WILL die by my hand...and so will his student." Eligos set down his chalice, and turned to look at the shadow. "When the time is right to strike."

It was then that the shadow figure crept closer to Eligos, reaching out with a hand to stroke his. Eligos felt a shiver of pleasure rush through his fur, as he shuddered just a little. The shadow's hand then stroked his face.

"You yearn to be closer to me...I can feel it deep within your being..." The shadow spoke softly. "You wish to know what can be done to bring me into your arms..."

"Yes..." Eligos spoke with a shudder in his voice. "tell me...tell me now...I want you..."

"He must die..." The shadow told him to his face. "The new silver knight must be killed, as soon as possible...he must not be allowed to succeed his teacher, and become the new golden knight. Such a thing would be...unpleasant to me...me and the others who guard this realm."

"You have my word..." Eligos responded, under the wiles of the shadow now. "Before I return to this place...the one called Nuka will be little more than a memory..."

With that, he rose from the table, fastening the pieces of his handmade armor to his body, off to fight without a helmet, as usual, as he lifted his broadsword, and sheathed it into his back, walking away towards a portal to the earth realm...

Nuka strolled along the grass as the light of the moon shone on the savannah. It was the first time he'd been this close to pride rock in what seemed like ages to him.

Indeed he looked quite different now as well. So different, that he now adopted the name of Kouga whenever he left the sanctuary of the fates. He wanted to distance himself from his past life as much as possible, and besides, a name like Nuka didn't quite have the effect on the horrors that he had wanted.

He heard some chanting in the distance, and cocked his head, walking over to investigate with a curious look in his eyes. It sounded...odd, but rather joyful as well.

He then saw a face that looked vaguely familiar to him. A Baboon, old but very wise, looking out into the night sky with his arms outstretched, a staff in his right hand. He stopped his chanting as he sensed the lion's presence, and turned to meet him with a smile.

"Ah...I've been waiting for you, mystic one!" Rafiki proclaimed, joyfully.

"Come again?" Kouga furrowed his brow.

Rafiki laughed. "Oh, you don't know yet...the songs of the three fates travels to more places than you may know, young lion...lately, the songs of a visitor to Pride Rock. One who carries the powers the Makai."

"Wait..." Kouga's mouth opened in disbelief. "You know about the fates, and the Makai knights?"

"Of course I do!" Rafiki walked around him a little, his staff rattling. "You don't become as smart as I by keeping yourself limited to one area of this world, you know!"

"OK..." Kouga nodded slowly. "Then, you must know why I've come..."

"Oh yes..." Rafiki's eyes narrowed as he looked around. "Terrible things happening in the night...animals disappearing...turning up savaged by a beast unknown to the others...unknown to all but me..."

"The Horrors..." Kouga responded coldly.

"Yes..." Rafiki almost hissed in his response. "I can feel them...inescapable darkness...unimaginable anger and rage...for years I have kept them at bay, but now they are stronger...they are coming through into Pride Rock."

"All the more reason for me to hurry..." Kouga nodded.

"Ah yes." Rafiki grinned. "Such impetuousness...but now...now such vitality I feel from you, young lion. Much better than you used to be, eh?"

Kouga stiffened for a moment. "Uhhhhh, what are you talking about?"

"Come, come, come now." Rafiki wagged a finger. "You think you can hide yourself from me, young Nuka?"

"Hey!" Kouga blushed. "Don't call me that around here!"

"Ohhhhh, troubled by the past, I see." Rafiki took a slightly more serious look. "Much like another I once knew...the fates may have taught you to fight such troubles, my boy, to put them behind you...but the day shall come when you must face them...face them in a way you have not yet imagined."

"What do you mean by that?" Kouga asked, curiously.

"One step at a time, young lion." Rafiki responded as he waked away. "That is the best way to proceed on your path. Best not to get far ahead of one's self."

Kouga just watched as Rafiki strolled away, and shook his head slowly. "Funny old mystic..." he muttered as he walked further into the boundaries of Pride Rock.

In the dark, starless night sky over Pride Rock, two lionesses prowled the land slowly. This didn't usually happen this late at night, but given the circumstances, a nighttime patrol was called for.

There had been reports involving animals being stolen in the night, with their unpleasant remains often found in the morning. Kiara, the queen, now had a young cub of her own, and Kovu, her mate and the current king, was understandably concerned for the safety of his family, and others. He suggested this night patrol routine, and his sister, loyal as ever, volunteered to be among the first to carry out this duty.

This was why Vitani was now out there in the dark at this moment, and not alone. Another lioness joined her side. She had witnessed much of what had occurred in the past to leave Pride Rock the way it was now, and she was eager to join one of the legends associated with it.

"Kaoru!" Vitani called to her partner. "Try to keep up with me, would you?"

"Oh, sorry!" Kaoru had been staring up at the sky for a moment, but soon snapped out of it as she ran a bit to stay next to her partner.

"I know you're fascinated by the lack of stars tonight, like everyone else..." The lioness spoke in a slightly scolding manner. "But that's no reason to become lax in your duties. Not with everything that's transpired as of late."

"Yes...sorry, sir."

"And stop calling me that..." Vitani stayed firm, but her tone softened a little now. "I'm aware everyone knows of my exploits, but I am just a comrade, like all the other lionesses you work with. Understand?"

"Yes...Yes Vitani." Kaoru nodded as she walked next to her. She looked to her left and right, before switching to a similar subject. "Has anyone figured out what it is yet?"

"No..." Vitani shook her head. "I even saw the remains of the zebra that was taken last night...those marks...it didn't look any creature I've encountered before."

"Maybe...maybe that baboon knows something..." Kaoru suggested.

"Rafiki..." Vitani sighed as she walked. "Kovu has spoken with him, and even old Simba came out of his cave to have words...they both say he might know something, but he's not saying anything."

"Why not?" Kaoru looked surprised. "I mean, he's always helped the kings in the past...why wouldn't he do it now?"

"I have no clue...Though, they said he wasn't completely uncooperative...I talked to Kiara, and Kovu told her that it was if Rafiki was...waiting for something to happen."

Kaoru shuddered for a moment. "That's kinda creepy...I'd hate to know what he might be waiting for..."

A few moments later, they heard something...something that made both their ears perk right up...it sounded like a whisper, far in the distance.

"What was THAT?" Kaoru whispered, intensely.

"Wait here..." Vitani simply responded. She thought she knew where the whisper was coming from, as she then heard another. She lowered her head, and slowly crawled into the tall grass nearby, making it move only slightly as she went on the prowl.

Of course, the whispering sent chills up her spine, just as it was with Kaoru...but Vitani was more experienced, and better at hiding this sort of nervousness. She continued to move slowly, shifting the grass in front of her ever so slightly, as she moved to the source of the whispers in the darkness.

It was then she heard something...a slight rustling in the grass. She tightened, and turned, quickly darting her eyes in its direction. She then heard more rustling, in another area, as she quickly turned, and frowned...whatever this thing was, it was toying with her...she didn't like being taken so lightly like this. She growled just a little.

She then got a jolt, as the creature growled right back at her. It was a deep, fearsome growl, unlike any she had heard before. Before she could react to it, she saw a pair of eyes, blood red, flashing at her, with a grotesque smile underneath them.

"Kaoru! Run!" She quickly shouted to her partner before she took off. The horror soon revealed itself, its black, bony form leaping from the grass with its long arms outstretched.

"Vitani?" Kaoru shouted back. "What's going on?"

She then saw her partner burst from the grass, running like she never had been before, as the horror came out right behind her, crying out for her blood with its fearsome screeching.

"No!" Kaoru's instincts to protect the one she admired took hold, as she pounced the creature, only to be knocked away with a backhand from the horror's large, impressive wrist, and long bony fingers. She fell back, and rolled to a stop several feet away, unconscious as she landed.

"You impulsive idiot!" Vitani thought to herself, as she ran back to her unconscious partner. She never saw herself as the type who would leave a comrade behind, and thus stood in front of her, growling and snarling at the demon beast, which now got up on its long legs and screeched at her once again, stretching out its wings as it's horned head gazed down upon the warm, vital flesh of the lionesses, eager for a meal.

The horrors had changed their tactics as of late. They seemed hungrier than ever, and no longer wanted to take the time to possess and deceive the other animals. This new, younger crop of demons wanted blood as quickly as possible now, and were willing to come right out and take it.

The beast in front of Vitani now certainly proved this point. On its teeth still were the remains of a recently eaten antelope, some of which were even hanging off the black jaw of the monster. It opened its grim, gaping maw slowly, revealing its rows of jagged teeth, as it then bent over, ready to take a bite.

It was then that an object flew in from out of nowhere, and cut the beast on its left arm. Black blood sprayed for a moment, as the demon howled in pain, and turned to face its new aggressor...as did Vitani, also surprised by the attack.

What they saw was a sword, one of two blades, flying back into the hands of its master, a figure clad in shimmering silver. He smoothly caught the blade, and twirled the two swords flawlessly, showing the beast what it was facing, as it then crossed the swords, and slowly revealed its snarling, masked, silver face.

The two swords then spread apart, revealing the form of the silver knight, Zero!

"What in the world..." Vitani whispered to herself through wide eyes, as Kaoru slowly awoke, jumping at what she saw as well, right onto her feet.

Zero slowly pointed his right sword at the horror. "Demon...you are a blight on this world...return to the darkness you came from, or I will slaughter you..."

The horror, of course, would do nothing of the sort, as it then charged at the young knight. He quickly responded, bringing up his knee at just the right moment, and smashing it into the jaw of the creature.

The creature withdrew, some of its teeth now knocked out, as it hissed, and charged at him again, grabbing both of his arms before he could wield his swords. The knight felt the crushing grip of the monster's hands on his wrists, pressure building with every second as he yelled out in pain.

The demon growled victoriously, ready to tear off the arms of its aggressor, before Zero suddenly got his feet up, and kicked them both on the chest of the beast, springing off of it and back-flipping in the air with his now freed arms, before landing on his feet, his swords ready to strike.

Before the horror could pull of its next move, he charged in, flashing his swords, as one sliced through the chest of the monster, and the other through its leg, tearing through a muscle. It screeched in pain, falling down on one knee, before the knight showed his true ferociousness.

He sliced with his swords again, cutting through the arms and chest of the beast, before his arm landed unwittingly into the creature's jaw, which it bit down on. He again felt the pressure on his limb, but his energy was flowing, and he would not be denied victory. He headbutted the monster, the sheer force of his helmet making it release its jaw, as he then brought up both of his swords, and jammed them into its chest.

The creature squealed out in pain one last time, black blood spraying the armor of the silver knight, before it soon went limp, and collapsed onto the ground.

Kouga breathed heavily under his armor, as he then pulled the twin blades from the rapidly dissolving body of the beast...only to sense another presence soon after...not that of a horror...but definitely from the same darkness.

"It's good to see that the knights have not lost their own thirst for bloodshed..." A voice spoke to him. He turned with his swords at the ready, and looked around in the darkness, along with the two stunned lionesses.

"Oh, don't tell me there's another one of these things..." Kaoru groaned.

"Who are you?" Zero called out in his echoing voice. "Face me!"

"You do not make demands of the darkness, young knight..." The voice spoke again. "Especially not in its own territory..."

Before he could say anything, he felt something rush in, and suddenly ram into him with its shoulder. He was knocked back quite a few feet, before he now faced the form of Eligos, who had now crossed over into the realm of the living.

Eligos stared down his opponent, eyes narrowed as he withdrew his broadsword. "Such a pitiful creature...trying to fight what it cannot escape..."

Zero growled under his helmet, as he then rushed the knight, ready to strike once more. Eligos simply stepped back, and swung his larger sword, instantly smashing it into both his hands, and making both swords fly away. He then growled and punched Zero across the face with a free hand, before using the same hand to grab him behind the head. He then smashed him again in the face with the hilt of his sword, and kicked him away, letting him roll onto his belly.

Zero was able to grab one of his swords as he got onto one knee, defending himself as Eligos brought down his sword, crashing it onto Zero's as the two clashed for a moment. But Eligos was playing around now, and simply used the weight of his sword to counter Zero's, making him fall face-first to the ground. He then walked over, and stomped on the small of Zero's back with a powerful, booted foot.

"Gaaaaahhhhh!" Zero yelled out under his helmet, as Eligos ground his foot into him a little.

"I can see this student didn't pay much attention in class..." Eligos mused, before taking his foot off the knight, and walked over to his head, ready to drive his sword into it. Zero was able to reach into his gauntlet, however, and pull out a hidden dagger, an invention of his own. He quickly plunged it into Eligos' foot, before he could make the killing blow.

Eligos shouted out in pain as a combination of black and red blood shot out of his foot, allowing Zero to roll away and retrieve both swords. Eligos reached down in annoyance, and withdrew the dagger, the wound quickly healing as he faced down his opponent once more.

Zero, now more prepared for this fight, jumped in, and let Eligos have it, with a flurry of slashes from his blade, which Eligos quickly tried to block with his broadsword. Zero then swiped down, and tripped him onto his back with one sword, before he came over and tried to plunge both swords down into his opponent. Eligos blocked the attack with the sword, as the two clashed for another moment, looking at each other, before Eligos used some of his powers to vomit blood onto the masked face of Zero, stunning him, before he kicked the silver knight away.

Zero once more landed onto his back, rolling onto his side, as Eligos rose, and brought his sword high into the air, ready to cleave him in two...until a figure in gold rushed in and smashed into him with his own sword.

Eligos fell back and rolled backwards, up onto his feet, as he now faced down two knights. Kiume had come by to check on the progress of his protege, an felt that now was the best time to get involved.

"Ah...the golden knight has finally found the nerve to appear before me!" Eligos grinned, slamming his sword into the earth and facing him down.

"Eligos!" Garo growled in his own echoing voice. "What brings you out from your accursed realm?"

Eligos laughed. "You really think I'm going to tell you? I'm not a foolish grunt, like the horrors, remember. I'm not easily swayed by the threats of a knight."

"If you're challenging me, Eligos, I'd be more than happy to accept..." Garo motioned to Zero. "Do you think you can defeat both of us at once?

Eligos smiled as he withdrew his sword, and sheathed it. "No...perhaps not..maybe later, when I have the chance to even the odds just a little. Then, I'll be happy to send both of you to the pit, so that I can personally watch your souls be turned to bloody shreds. adieu!"

"Come back here!" Zero started after Eligos as he walked off, but was soon stopped by Garo's hand.

"No..." Garo spoke calmly. "We'll have our chance to defeat him later...for now, we must concentrate on Pride Rock."

With that, The two knights quickly changed back to Kouga and Kiume, right in front of the two dumbfounded lionesses.

"Is he one of the ones you told me of? The Foresaken?" Kouga asked. Since becoming a knight, Kiume had elaborated to his student on the complexities of the dark world they were fighting, the world beyond that of just the horrors.

"Yes..." Kiume nodded slowly. "He was once a proud and brave lion as we were, but through his selfishness and lust for power, he was lost, and is now merely a servant of the pit's dark priestess..."

"Meshiah..." Kouga nodded slowly, remembering the name.

"Excuse me..." Vitani's voice was soon heard. She walked closer to the two males, while Kaoru, too nervous to see them up close, stayed behind. She did not recognize her brother, as his appearance had changed greatly, and the aura of a knight had changed his scent as well.

"Yes?" Kiume answered, in a friendly manner. "How can we help you?"

"Well, for starters, What was that thing that just attacked us? What was it doing here in Pride Rock? And how were you able to do...that thing you just did to fight all of it?" Vitani was completely confused.

"Madam..." Kiume laughed a bit. "I can see you have many questions, for how could you not after witnessing such a thing? Just know this...whatever problems you may have had in the past are now over. My partner and I will make sure of that, yes Kouga?"

Kouga smiled and nodded. "Oh yes. We can't really explain what we do, at least not too well...but rest assured, you and the others of Pride Rock can sleep peacefully now."

With that, the two lions turned and began to walk off, before Kaoru suddenly spoke up.

"Wait...how do we contact you, if we need help again?"

Kiume then turned and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry...we'll know...and we'll come...always. Good night now..."

The two lionesses stared and watched them walk off, and just stood there for a moment. Kaoru then broke the silence, and laughed, the stress of the situation wearing off.

"Oh wow, I hope I'm not dreaming all of this...what a story I'm gonna have to tell when we get back to the others..."

It was then that she noticed the look on Vitani's face had changed...as if she was lost, deep in thought.

"Hey...are you OK?"

Vitani spoke to herself. "No...no it can't be...he's dead..."

"Vitani?"

The Lioness quickly snapped out of it. "What?...oh yes, yes...what a story we've got...Kovu's never gonna believe this...let's head back..."

Kaoru nodded, leading the way this time, as Vitani turned her head back, looking at where the two lions had walked off, before returning to the side of her partner.


	5. Lamia Strikes

Eligos was back in his chamber in the underworld, listening to the screams of some fresh souls being eaten by the horrors, sipping calmly from his chalice. He had been driven away, yes, but he wasn't going to agonize over a small defeat. He was simply sitting...sitting and waiting for someone to come gloating about it.

"Couldn't handle it, I see..."

There we are, he thought, listening to the hissing female voice in the distance. It wasn't Meshiah, the one who talked to him before, but one he knew just as well.

"Petty as usual, Eh, Lamia?" He answered, with a small smirk on his face. He knew deep down that she was jealous of Meshiah talking to him about the knights first, instead of her.

"Petty, maybe..." she responded, sliding in on her tail. Her upper body was that of a humanoid lioness, but she also had the lower body of a snake, long and gliding as she pushed herself along on it. "Petty, but, unlike you, capable." She hissed, showing off the fangs on her upper jaw, which held venom, just like a snake.

"Oh really?" Eligos sipped again from his chalice as he mocked her further. "One bow against the blades of two knights at once. You really think you're that good of a hunter?"

"I carry blades as well, ignorant male..." She scowled as she withdrew her two short swords, which she called the twin fangs. "And I'm more than capable of using them."

"Really now?" He spoke as he set his chalice down and got up onto his feet. "Battle is not the same as hunting, serpent girl. Your prey is right in front of you, and is unwilling to go down without putting up a fight. Do you really think you're capable?"

"Give me a chance, and maybe I could even best you!" She eagerly hissed at him.

Eligos smirked again. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Lamia...for now, let's concentrate on taking out those two Makai knights. Then we can focus on who is the best warrior of the underworld...I wouldn't want to lose my partner before dealing with them anyway."

"Strong words, broken Prince..." Lamia hissed back at him. "After I've slaughtered those two knights, I'll have to do something about that smug, royal attitude of yours..."

Eligos just stood with his arms crossed, watching as Lamia slithered off, finding her own way towards the Earth realm. He then calmly gathered his own weapons and armor, walking off.

"Lamia is a dangerous one to make deals with..." He heard the voice of Meshiah creeping behind him. "Are you certain that you want aid from her? She will not be fully cooperative..."

"I know that..." Eligos nodded as he walked. "But that's the kind of unpredictability I need against Kiume and his protege. Throwing them both off balance is the best way to kill them."

"Indeed..." Meshiah responded. "You're even more clever than I figured you to be, Eligos...I just hope your plan doesn't backfire."

Eligos shrugged. "Such is life...what's the point of existing if one doesn't take chances?"

"Such as the one your father took?" Meshiah added, coldly.

Eligos frowned as he turned to her. "My father was a cold, yellow bastard...He gave up his own child to the demons, in return for some momentary good fortune...It gave me a lot of pleasure to meet him down here, and personally rip his essence to shreds. "

With that, he made his way back to the Earth once again.

"So...this thing you saw was what's been killing the others around here? You're sure of it?"

Kovu studied his sister and Karou closely as he walked around them. Kiara sat in the background, simply watching. Their son, Kokumo, had recently been born, and she spent most of the time attending to him.

"I know it sounds bizarre..." Vitani responded. "But I know what I saw...and I've never been the type to make up stories to you, have I, brother?"

"No...no, you never have..." Kovu shook his head. "All the same...it just seems too strange to be real. Demons in pride rock...lions that can dress themselves in armor to fight them. I've never seen anything like it."

"My good king..." a voice suddenly spoke up behind him. "There is much more to this life than what you may see...it's just that there are parts of it that choose to keep itself hidden...hidden, until recently, that is..."

Kovu looked over to see a familiar, ancient baboon walking over to him, his staff in tow.

"Rafiki!" Kovu exclaimed, partially happy, but frustrated as well. "So now you decide to show yourself. Do you know how many times I and my father-in-law have tried to contact you on this matter?"

"I know, my lord, and I apologize." Rafiki bowed slightly with a paw on his chest. "I was simply hoping against hope that what was happening really wasn't. But I'm afraid, as of last night, that my worst fears have been confirmed."

"So you DO know something..." Kovu nodded. "About the creature that's been attacking the pride lands."

"Yes...and there is more than one of them, I'm afraid...much more." Rafiki spoke with an ominous tone in his voice once more. "They are called Horrors...they are demons of the most loathsome sort. They are usually only found in the bowels of the underworld, but they often look for ways to cross over into the light of this world. And until today, they had virtually been expunged from the Pride lands."

"Why is that?" Kovu asked, with growing interest. "Why are they coming here now? Is there anything that we, or you, can do about it."

Rafiki nodded. "Many, many years ago, an ancestor of mine placed a seal on these lands, keeping the horrors from ever coming in. He knew, just as I, that this is a great area of goodness and light. The return and triumph of King Simba proved this too, I believe. Such a place would be a great loss to the forces of light, were the darkness ever to overcome it."

"This seal..." Kiara spoke up, sensing what he was getting to. "It's weakening, isn't it? That's how the horror got in."

"Yes...I'm afraid so..." Rafiki responded. "And now, I am currently studying the ancient ritual once more. With a little time, I can hopefully cast a new seal over these lands...and with a little luck, it will last even longer than the last one."

"I hope you succeed then..." Kiara looked down at her sleeping cub as she spoke. "I don't want my son to grow up in a world where such evil forces would be able to touch him."

"My Queen, they will never have the chance to get close." Rafiki reassured her, as Kovu moved to be by her side. "That is why the Makai Knights have come to help me in this task."

"The knights..." Vitani nodded, remembering. "Are they like us? I mean, are they actual lions?"

Rafiki chuckled and nodded. "Oh yes, they're as real as you all are, born of this earth. They have simply trained under the watchful eyes of the fates of light, and have been given the power to fight and kill these demons. They are soldiers in a never-ending battle against the darkness."

Vitani nodded. The nagging feeling from last night still lingered, as Kiara noticed.

"Vitani? Is there anything else you wanted to add to your report?"

"Oh..." Vitani caught herself. "No, nothing."

"Well then..." Rafiki smiled. "I'd best be off then. Still have much studying left to do. Until then, do not fear the Makai knights if you see them. Fearsome as they may seem, they are here for all your sakes. One must remain fearsome, if one is to fight such creatures as the horrors."

"I understand...Thank you for telling me this, Rafiki." Kovu nodded, still at the side of his mate and child.

Kouga sat silently on a rock, looking out at the pride lands in the distance. His mind was lost in thought, and desire.

"You could always go back there, you know..." Kiume smiled as he walked up to his protege, able to read his feelings at this moment. "I'm not stopping you, and neither is anyone else."

"I know that..." Kouga nodded as he continued to gaze, before looking back at his master. "I just feel...you know..."

"Conflicted..." Kiume nodded as he finished his sentence. "I felt the same at first. I'd look at the world out there, and wonder what would happen if I involved myself in the lives of the 'normal' lions. At the very worst, I was afraid that if I befriended, or fell in love with anyone, they would be targeted by the horrors...Indeed, when I first met Zina, the very thought of her being attacked by horrors because of me plagued my dreams every night."

"So, what did you do about it?" Kouga asked with an interested look.

"I simply looked at the world beyond me...every day, there is danger, I realized, danger of death, from more than just the horrors. Losing a loved one to such horrible things is bad indeed, but never even learning to love them in the first place out of fear is much, much worse. Even if I were to suddenly lose Zina tomorrow, my life would feel more rich and more meaningful for having known her."

"Hmm..." Kouga nodded slowly in thought.

"Plus, you have to remember, I'm a Makai knight, and so are you. We have the ability to face and cut down such horrible things, and protect not just the light, but our loved ones as well. For it's the love we all have we have for each other that creates such light, don't you think?"

"Yeah..." Kouga smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

"So, what are you waiting for?" Kiume smiled back. "How about you go on a little daytime patrol for me?"

"Absolutely!" Kouga quickly rose to his feet...

However, he quickly sensed something, and froze.

"Kiume!" He gently shouted.

"I know..." Kiume went stiff as well as he stood. "I feel it too..."

Silence passed for a moment...before Kouga suddenly stepped to the side, and felt an arrow whooshing past him, slamming into the rock.

Kouga yelled in surprise, as Kiume quickly turned and looked to where the arrow came from, seeing nothing. It was then that another arrow whooshed towards him, and he ducked to narrowly avoid it.

"I forgot how skilled you knights can be..." Lamia shouted as she slithered out from behind her hiding place. "Awesome reflexes, indeed."

"Whoa..." Kouga looked on in amazement at the snake-tailed lioness with the bow.

"Another foresaken..." Kiume nodded slowly. "A partner and a rival of Eligos."

"Rival for the moment..." Lamia hissed. "I'm here to prove that I can do what he couldn't the last night...and I'm not going to return hanging my head in shame..."

With that, she loosed a pair of arrows together, these having red tips that exploded on contact. The two lions jumped out of the way, the rocks behind them blowing up in a cloud and shower of pebbles as they fell to their feet.

Without a word, Kiume summoned his armor, and Kouga quickly followed suit, drawing the circles in the earth with their paws. Lamia launched another arrow, just as Kouga finished changing. He quickly withdrew his swords and cut down the arrow, running towards her and deflecting another along the way.

Lamia was ready for him, as she reached and took out the twin fang daggers from her belt. She deflected a few swings from his blades, and then swung her tail around to trip him. He quickly jumped over the tail and slashed her across the arm with his left sword in midair. She screeched and deflected a sword swing from Kiume, arriving to help his student, as she fell back and slithered away for a moment.

She regrouped, and snarled at the two, baring her venomous fangs. She then ran each blade along her fangs, staining them in poison as the gold and silver knights prepared to face her once more.

"Be careful, Kouga..." Kiume's voice echoed, as Kouga nodded silently, and swung his blades a little.

Lamia then swung her tail around to Kiume hard, and fast. He got up his sword to block it, but the force of the swing was hard enough to knock him onto his back, leaving him open. She leapt towards him on her strong tail, ready to pierce him with the daggers.

Kouga was quick to respond, though, leaping and tackling the demon with his shoulder. The two fell to the ground, the force making Lamia drop her poisoned blades as she hit. He lunged his blades down at her, missing as she twirled out of the way, both of them getting stuck in the ground. She capitalized, rising and backhanding him with a powerful paw, pushing him away from the embedded blades.

She then reached over and grabbed the stunned knight with her tail, coiling it tightly around him. He could feel the pressure in his chest, making it harder and harder for him to breathe, as he coughed, blood even leaking out of the mouth of his helmet.

"Brace yourself..." She hissed as she then picked up one of her blades, readying it to plunge into his neck. "This is REALLY going to hurt..."

Her eyes suddenly went wide open, as she felt something sharp pierce through her back...Kouga saw the tip of Kiume's large sword emerge through her belly, making her squeal out in pain.

She instantly dropped Kouga from her grasp, making him cough and wheeze, as she turned to face Kouga, who had let go of the sword now impaling her through the back. She roared and lunged at him with the lone dagger, making him swerve to avoid it. She lunged again as he tried to make a grab for the sword, and caught him in the side of his golden armor, the dagger piercing him.

"Kiume!" Kouga yelled in shock at the sight, as Lamia hissed in delight and let go of the blade, letting Kiume fall back in pain, as she then reached and pulled out the sword, the wound already starting to heal as she dropped the sword.

Kouga quickly ran towards the sword, and tried to pick it up, so he could throw it to his master...however, the sword was incredibly heavy, he found, almost stuck to the earth it seemed, as he struggled to lift it.

Kiume cradled himself, blood oozing out of his armor, as Lamia turned her attention to Kouga, laughing. "Silly child...only one worthy of being the golden knight can lift that sword...and seeing as how you failed to protect your master..."

Kouga grunted more as she taunted him, and gave up, running to his embedded swords instead. Lamia whipped her tail out at him once more, as he jumped for them, grabbing the hilts just as the tip of her tail wrapped around his feet.

Kouga was able to focus his power, and pushed his blades down and up from the earth backwards. With a cry of rage at what he just saw, he took the blades out of the earth with amazing force, and twisted with them in the air. He then brought one down, quickly slicing off the end of Lamia's tail.

Lamia screeched in pain as he landed and came up with a few more wild slashes, cutting into her upper body. Lamia quickly went into flight mode, and whipped him away with what remained of her tail, quickly slithering away.

Kouga would have pursued her, but something more immediate caught his eye. He quickly changed back and ran towards Kiume, who had also just changed back, holding his side and shaking.

"Kiume!" Kouga called to him frantically. "We've got to get you to the fates! Get them to heal you!"

Kiume shook his head. "No, Kouga..."

"But Master!" He protested. "You've been poisoned!"

Kiume laughed a bit and grunted. He rubbed his gently over himself, as some of the poison leaked from the wound. "You didn't let me finish...I told YOU to be careful, not me...you haven't learned how to build an immunity to underworld venom yet. It's dangerous to knights, yes...but mainly to unseasoned ones."

Kouga immediately felt a rush of relief. "Oh, thank the maker...so you'll be all right?"

Kiume nodded. "A little rest, and some water, and I'll have it out of my system in no time..."

Kouga then thought of something else. "Wait...you impaled that creature with your sword, and it still lived...how is that possible?"

Kiume started to walk slowly. "Foresaken have the ability to regenerate. You must decapitate them to kill them."

Kouga sighed. "It's a shame we couldn't decapitate that one."

"Patience..." Kiume grunted a bit as he walked. "When the chance presents itself, you'll know. Trust your senses. They're getting better every day, Kouga."

"Thanks, Master..."

"Hello?"

The lioness walked into the unfamiliar land of Pride Rock, looking to her left and right as she approached the curious lioness in front of her.

"Yes?" Vitani answered. "Is there something you need?"

The Lioness nodded. "My name is Zina...my mate and his pupil came here recently, and I was hoping to find him here...He's...one of the knights you may have heard of recently."

Vitani's eyes went wide. "Is he now? If that's so, I have about a million questions for you then..." She now smiled a bit.

"I'll gladly answer them..." Zina responded with a relaxed smile. "Just so long as you can find Kiume and pass a message to him."

"Sure...what's the Message?"

"Well...I'm having his child..."


End file.
